Santa Rosa Elder Abuse Attorneys

Elder Abuse Lawyers serving all of Sonoma County

Elder Abuse in California

A 2010 study found that in Los Angeles County alone, approximately 160,000 cases of elder abuse occur every year. Sonoma County had an estimated 9,769 cases that year. The total for the state of California is a shocking 632,693. Sadly, many of these cases are never reported. Perhaps the reason for this is that many people do not understand what constitutes elder abuse. Understanding elder abuse and the signs of abuse are crucial to protecting our loved ones. If you know of a loved one who has suffered abuse in a nursing home facility or elsewhere, contact our Santa Rosa elder abuse attorneys as soon as possible.

Elder Abuse Isn’t Just Physical

Elder abuse can be filed under criminal or civil law, or both. In cases where a person knowingly lets an elder suffer, or inflicts intentional physical or mental pain, the case will be considered criminal. Civil law defines any form of abuse, including:

Abandonment – deserting an elder

Abduction – removing an elder without his or her consent

Financial abuse – illegal or unethical use of an elder’s funds or assets

Physical abuse – Inflicting physical pain or injury of any sort upon and elder

Criminal misdemeanor cases can result in up to one year in jail and thousands of dollars in fines. Felony offenders can be sentenced for up to four years in prison. California takes elder abuse seriously, as it should. Our elderly loved ones deserve a good quality of life and to be taken care of with compassion. Anyone caring for an elderly person and not fulfilling his or her duty of reasonable care should be reported.

Negligence, Compensation, and Pressing Criminal Charges

Because elder abuse is both a civil and criminal offense, make certain you have a competent Santa Rosa elder abuse attorney to guide you in the event that a loved one has suffered from elder abuse. Not only can you press charges, but you can recover financial damages.

Under the Elder Abuse Act, you can sue the abuser even if your elderly loved one has died. The act allows the ability to sue to be transferred to a successor and to maintain legal action as if the elder was still alive. You will be expected to prove negligence on the other person’s part. Any of the types of abuse mentioned earlier in this post would constitute as negligence.

You can receive compensation for a number of damages in an elder abuse case. You may be able to recover medical expenses, pain and suffering, and quite possibly punitive damages in the unfortunate event that you or a loved one has suffered physical injury. If money was stolen or used illegally, you will be able to sue for the money that was exploited. Additionally, you can collect any damages associated with emotional and mental suffering as a result of the abuse.

Contact Santa Rosa Elder Abuse Attorneys | Sonoma County

Contact the Li & Lozada Law Group as soon as possible to find help for you or your loved one that has suffered elder abuse. We fight aggressively on behalf of victims of elder abuse. We believe everyone has the right to a clean, safe, and comfortable place to live. We represent clients in Santa Rosa and all the surrounding counties in the North Bay. We treat all of our clients with deep compassion and respect. Contact us today to begin building your case, and get the money you deserve. We want to help you get your life back on track.